[ladytiger]

Hello! I have been evaluating my situation and finances then I started looking for a 2nd job. I have already applied to a position on campus as I work at a college where I graduated from 4 yrss ago. I've been there almost 6 mos, part time 25 hrs and no temp can't go above 25 hrs that is the rule with the District. I still don't have much of a job history and over 21, I was looking for help desk positions which I am learning at work but don't have previous help desk experiences for outside jobs as they require a lot of experience and certifications that I don't have.

I am doing customer service (help desk and call center) and trying to find pay that is equal or a bit more than what I am getting paid. I am not looking for another temp job as I need something permanent. I know people suggested waitressing or caretaker I wanna step up not down as a waitress is way below what I am getting paid now. I would hate being a caretaker I feel being a caretaker at home with narc parents who puts unrealistic demands/expectations like I am their servant! That kind of work I would never do.

I'd like to find computer jobs but again they all require experience and all I have is an Network Admin degree. I still volunteer at the library, but I need money more than working for free. So, I am re-evaluating what I could do for work since I still have a huge gap in my work history. I want to stay with my primary job, learn as much help desk as I could (even though it is limited tools I have at work), and get more experience as possible. My main goal is to get my own place looks like I will be needing weekly pay and was looking at other schools but again more experience. I am gonna have to do more research and definitely don't want a staffing agency had too many problems with them.

People would say I am being unrealistic, but I am being realistic as to what's gonna help me job wise and financial wise. I am looking at it financial wise, how can you live with low paying and take care of yourself? That's what is out there in AZ is low paying for a cheap state and my main goal is more important than anything else. I want my own place not with a roomie but just me and me! My check right now doesn't cover half the rent if there would be a potential roommate. People say you need full time to make ends meet, how many people are getting full time now? How many people out there have 2 full time jobs?

My manager doesn't hold you back and said if you need to find a 2nd job go for it, that isn't gonna be a hindrance for me. Any tips/suggestions?

[regretful]

Whatever you do, carefully assess how much going to school will end up costing you. I went deeply into debt to get a degree and 20 years later I'm still suffering with the hell of massive student loan debt. If you can get by with less, then do so; but above all whatever you do, make is something that you enjoy. I'm doing something that I absolutely loathe and it is no way to live. Get some of that ground floor experience and put to work what you have already..

[hvert]

I would be applying for full time help desk jobs. With the degree and experience you already have, I bet you could land an entry level tech support job. Experience matters more than education in that field.

[ladytiger]

Originally Posted by hvert

I would be applying for full time help desk jobs. With the degree and experience you already have, I bet you could land an entry level tech support job. Experience matters more than education in that field.

Why? I did say they want experience and that is a year or 3+ yrs I don't even have! No, I can't land an entry level tech job as I have done a lot of research on the field. They want certifications (something I don't have and too costly) with lots of experience simple as that! Everything out there is mostly part time anyway especially where I live. However, I am still gonna be looking...

[ladytiger]

I already in debt with school with another college and wait a minute, when did I say I was wanting to re-attend the college where I graduated from? Never said that. I can't live with less money, nobody can unless they are living off of tons of assets and they can get by no problem but that is not me. I am just looking out there checking my options for a 2nd job as I'd like to stay working in a school somewhere can't stand getting paid biweekly takes forever.

Right now, I am looking at tech support jobs and they all say must have 3 yrs or 2 yrs experience in that environment which I don't have any from the past. This job I have now is my first help desk; of course, I was actually hired to do call center. I am not fully current on today's technology only the old technology - remember apps came out in 2010 and that's when I graduated college so how do these companies expect people to know about apps right then and there?

[hvert]

Sorry, I should have explained more thoroughly.

I am in that field and have hired people for those kinds of positions. I would apply for them even if you don't have the education and experience they say they want. It may be a long shot, but it doesn't hurt to try. The requirements in the ads are often way out of line for the wages they want to pay. They ask for the world but will settle for less

HR asks for certifications and degrees, but the hiring managers just want someone who knows what they are doing. Many, many people in this field are self-taught and many got their start by learning on the job. If you are a quick learner and know how to find the solution when you don't know the answer to the problem, you will do well.

[Strive4health]

Ladytiger, since you have years as helpdesk have you thought about transitioning to desktop support? It's a higher pay range than helpdesk, and can eventually lead to network administration. What is your goal? What kind of degree do you have? What are your skills?

I recently got a new job with almost no experience. It's possible for you to be way more successful.

[ladytiger]

Originally Posted by hvert

Sorry, I should have explained more thoroughly.

I am in that field and have hired people for those kinds of positions. I would apply for them even if you don't have the education and experience they say they want. It may be a long shot, but it doesn't hurt to try. The requirements in the ads are often way out of line for the wages they want to pay. They ask for the world but will settle for less

HR asks for certifications and degrees, but the hiring managers just want someone who knows what they are doing. Many, many people in this field are self-taught and many got their start by learning on the job. If you are a quick learner and know how to find the solution when you don't know the answer to the problem, you will do well.

Well, finding these problems, like I said never worked in a computer field before so that isn't easy for me to find the solutions but I am learning. I haven't done help desk for long really got started in May 2013 during intersession and yea it is on the job training as there is no training money so I have to learn everything on the spot. The department didn't even ask for certifications. I do doubt myself, I never been a confident in what I do it goes back to things in the past and I am so used to working on my own computers not someone else's tech problems....

[ladytiger]

Originally Posted by Strive4health

Ladytiger, since you have years as helpdesk have you thought about transitioning to desktop support? It's a higher pay range than helpdesk, and can eventually lead to network administration. What is your goal? What kind of degree do you have? What are your skills?

I recently got a new job with almost no experience. It's possible for you to be way more successful.

What years?? Have you not read what I said? I never said I have x amount of years as a help desk person and this is my 1st time ever being a help desk assistant in a lab. I get paid good just need more hours. Right now, I have 3 months as a help desk, does that sound like years to you? I have NEVER worked in a computer field before whether in college or after I graduated from college. What desktop support? In what job? There isn't anything like that at my job, we have client support analyst and that isn't open. That position was open at another sister college but they wanted 3 yrs and certifications! That was before I got the training on help desk I think it was open during June. Another college had a help desk position open again 3 yrs.

Network admin at work? You need 7 yrs to be a network admin I did the research as nobody told me that in college it wasn't like that 10 yrs ago when I was in high school. I found that info out after college! I got this job with no experience but offered on the job training which I am grateful for. I have been at the job now 6 months total, I got hired doing call center and we are very short staffed.

Hmm, AAS Network Admin is my degree. My goal? Well, to be more knowledgeable in computers. How is that possible? Everything is moving so fast ever since apps came out in 2010. I don't feel like I can catch up to everybody at least those tech people have already been in the field and can speak about their experiences. I am wanting to make a goal on learning how to use the IMacs at work (I don't own one and don't have the money to get any Mac) so I can help the students in the lab. I got a ton of computer books yet I am mentally exhausted (for a long time) with people telling me do this do that blah blah.

I feel I am a slow learner which takes me longer to learn stuff and some say that isn't true. Anyway, I really want to know my stuff in computers. How can i catch up with today's rapid, fast tech? Hmm, just frustrated.

[ladytiger]

Forgot to mention: I had my interview on the 18th this month in another department. It was a panel interview, 8 questions, and felt I did awesome! The position starts next Tuesday and I didn't get the job. It was full time too I could use that but guess it's time to find something else for either another 2nd job or finding something on campus....